How to import PCB STEP files faster into SolidWorks

Fast PCB Import

CircuitSweep combines STEP prefiltering with optimized SolidWorks import settings. Small bodies are removed before they even load into SolidWorks.

Use it when a detailed PCB export from Altium, KiCad or another ECAD system makes the first import a long wait.

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Less geometry to load. Less time to wait.

Removing detail after import cannot shorten the import you have already waited for. Fast PCB Import starts earlier: it filters the STEP before passing it to SolidWorks.

The result is a native multibody SolidWorks part without a live STEP link, ready to save and use in your mechanical design. Import settings are optimized as part of the workflow.

Choose how much detail comes in

Optimized: a lighter starting model

Exclude bodies below a size you choose. The default is 3 mm. For a very heavy board, leaving out small detail can be a worthwhile trade-off for a faster import.

If an important detail is missing, lower the threshold or choose Complete.

Complete: keep all imported geometry

Bring in the complete model when you need every body available. You still use CircuitSweep's optimized import settings, without the size cut.

Then use Simplify PCB to review what to exclude in a separate configuration.

Optimized import does not keep the omitted bodies in the SolidWorks part. Complete import is the starting point when you want both the full model and a reviewed simplified configuration.

What difference can it make?

On one tested PCB, Fast PCB Import at 3 mm reduced the time to import and save a native part from 470 seconds to 16.2 seconds: 96.6% less time. The filtered result contained 140 bodies instead of 2,480.

This compares native import of the complete model with CircuitSweep's filtered workflow. Results vary by board. See the comparison.

Keep the detail your mechanical design needs

A size filter works on bodies, not component names. Inspect mounting points, connectors and clearance to the housing. Small bodies can still matter.

To see the file selection, settings and cancellation options, open the Fast PCB Import instructions. For the engineering behind the workflow, read why PCB STEP files can be slow.

Try it on the PCB that’s slowing you down.

CircuitSweep is a SolidWorks add-in for faster PCB STEP imports and simplified configurations.

Try free for 14 days

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